“What Would My Father Say…If He Were Alive Today in June 2013?”

In Memory of Mr. Roberto Hung Juris Doctor

I were alive today, I would be 82 years old, enjoying retirement as a senior citizen and Lombard resident homeowner in District 5, York Township, County of DuPage, Illinois USA. 

During June 2013, I would have celebrated my 82nd birthday anniversary since June 7, 1931, along with my Niece Olivia Hung-Simons (Leaver) and god-daughter who was born on the same date, the first daughter of my eldest brother Miguel Hung and his wife, Silvia Hung-Simons.  My second Niece Mireya Hung Lee is also born on June 30^th.  When I got married in March 1957, my Nieces Olivia and Gertrudis were the flower girls at my wedding to G. Fong Ramos at the Cathedral of Santiago de Cuba in Oriente, Cuba.  All my Brothers, Sisters, Nephews, Family Relatives, Friends, Colleagues, and Associates attended the wedding celebrations and were invited to all family events. 

In retrospect, time passed by… my family relatives became adults and I did not attend the weddings for Olivia and Wayne Leaver, Miguel and Pam Hung, Santiago and Ileana, Guillermo and Millie, Mireya, Ileana, Santiago, Joaquin, Teresita, and/or the other family members.  All my Nieces and Nephews remember meeting with me when I visited them during travels to Miami, Hialeah in Florida and Queens, Flushing, Long Island, New York, USA.  My Sister-in-Law Silvia Hung-Simons did recall how I used to help her with Olivia who was my god-daughter, Miguelito, the second son, and the other two (2) children, Santiago and Raymundo when she lived at the house in Santiago de Cuba, Oriente, Cuba and I was studying at the University of Oriente.

Twentty (20) years ago, I purchased a second Lombard home at 502 South Westmore-Meyers Road and Washington Boulevard upon referral from Baird & Werner Realtor Paulette Weininger who contacted Century 21 Realtor Dino N. Lekousis at the Lombard Pines Shopping Center during August 1993.  My wife and son had already purchased the first Lombard home at 342 West Harrison and Elizabeth Street, near Finley Road near the Lombard Park District in DuPage County, Illinois USA. 

Linda Schuster who lived in Westmont was the girlfriend of Paul Rathe who referred my youngest son and wife to buy a house in Village of Lombard, also known as Lilac Town for the Lilac Parade celebration near Main Street. My youngest son and wife moved to the Village of Lombard in 1992 urged by the insistence of Paul Rathe, a boyfriend who lived on Roscoe St. near Halsted St., Lakeview area in Chicago, Illinois USA. 

My son’s friends and realtors wanted him to ask me for $10,000 cash in down payment for the Lombard home, coming from my IRA retirement funds and life-savings from working 4-5 jobs during the week and weekends; in addition, I had to provide monthly cash support for my wife and son while they lived in a Lombard home in DuPage County, Illinois USA. 

One year afterwards, my son and wife insisted that I moved to Lombard with my daughter and son-in-law in order to buy a second home with the remainder of my 401K and IRA retirement savings funds.The Lombard Historic Brick Bungalow at 502 South Westmore-Meyers Road and Washington Boulevard was built in 1927 in Lilac Town, District 5, York Township in DuPage County, Illinois USA.This Lombard Historic Brick Bungalow remained at the corner of Westmore Avenue and Washington Blvd. since the Ahrens Family built the Lombard property in 1927.

Two centuries later, on September 2nd, 1993, I purchased the Lombard Historic Brick Bungalow from Debra Y. Sekrecki, with an initial down payment of $2,000, as earnest money paid by personal check, added to the total cash payment of $88,000 at a fixed interest rate not to exceed 8.00% per year, amortized over a period of fifteen (15) years.

At the time, Debra Y. Sekrecki had two (2) children, a boy and a girl, lived with Stella, the tenant upstairs, and father Adam Sekrecki. Three months before, on July 11, 1993, I signed a Standard Residential Sales Contract from the Du Page Association of Realtors in agreement to purchase the Lombard real estate property at 502 S. Westmore Avenue in Lombard, Illinois 60148-3028 , owned by seller Debra Y. Sekrecki. The original closing date was scheduled on September 11, 1993. However, I was called by telephone to appear sooner on September 2nd, 1993, at 3:30 p.m., at the law office of Alan Dakoff, Telephone: 708-966-0488, located at 9291 North Maryland, in Niles, Illinois 60714 , U.S.A. Century 21, Action Real Estate provided a Buyer Service Pledge presented by Steve Block, Telephone: 630-627-5500, and Dino, the real estate agent with Roberto Hung and family, who signed in agreement.

Afterwards, I  received a copy of Rider 412, Buyer’s Inspection which he signed as buyer with Debra Sekrecki, as seller. In 1993, Century 21, Action Real Estate described in a listing the Highlights of the Lombard Historic Brick Bungalow at the corner of Westmore Avenue and Washington Blvd., owned by Debra Y. Sekrecki with tenant Stella. At the time, the Du Page County Real Estate Taxes were only $2,744 for the brick house.

After I purchased the same Lombard Brick House, the Lombard property taxes doubled for more than $4,000, without providing the senior citizens Homestead Exemption.

This Lombard Brick Home Parcel Lot is located near Westmore Elementary School and St. Pius X Church School, Jackson Middle School , and Willowbrook High School . George Hornbeck’s Parcel No. 06-09-315038 is a subdivision, spacious 4-bedroom brick home with a second floor in-law or potential income arrangement. There were nine (9) room available with hardwood floors. Full finished basement. Front and rear enclosed porches for added living space. Fully fenced yard with a gas grill. There was a 2-car garage. Public transportation is available. This Lombard home parcel lot is close to school and shopping, near the Eastgate Center and State of Illinois facilities for the Secretary of State Vehicle Licenses Center and the Illinois Employment and Training Center (I.E.T.C.). Action Real Estate for Century 21 was serving Du Page and Cook counties at the Lombard Pines Shopping Center, 1125-J South Main Street, Lombard, Illinois 60148, in care of realtor Dino.

On September 2nd, 1996, I completed full cash payment of the Lombard Brick Home at Maple Park State Bank, witnessed by my daughter, Gardenia C. Hung, and the bank manager. We  improved this Lombard Brick house by adding oak cabinets, an exterior halogen flood night light, (2) automatic garage door openers, changed all door locks, added gardening landscaping, apple trees orchard, and perennial flowers, and exotic plant species. Specifications for the Lombard Historic Brick Bungalow: Living Room: 25.4 X 11.10 sq. ft. Dining Room: 13.1 X 13.2 sq. ft. Kitchen: 11.6 X 10.8 sq. ft. Master Bdrm: 11.10 X 10.6 sq. ft. Bedroom: 11.5 X 10.6 sq. ft. Bedroom: 11.3 X 10.0 sq. ft. Bedroom: 15.8 X 10.0 sq. ft. Living Room: 13.10 X 12.2 sq. ft. Kitchen: 15 X 14 sq. ft. Pantry: 6 X 4 sq. ft. Utilities in the Basement. Basement Full Finished. Storage Rooms: 2. Closets: 10